Keeping yourself safe is travel advice that must not be taken for granted. Security should always be the first thing to be taken into consideration whether at home or outdoors. This is especially true when traveling because when you find yourself in unfamiliar places, you don’t know what the risks are.

Here are some safety tips to make sure you have a secure and happy travel:

The cardinal rule is to blend with the crowd as much as possible. In order to avoid drawing attention, then you should dress simply. Wearing expensive jewelry should be avoided because this might send the wrong signals to the wrong kind of people…so it’s better to avoid it. Remember that the more you look like a local, then the less you will be targeted by bad elements.

Cash, credit cards and important documents such as passport should be the first to be secured. The general travel advice is to keep them in separate concealed places inside your luggage. Handbags, fanny packs and outside pockets should be crossed out as safe places. This is because they are the first things that a possible thief is looking out for. Although keeping valuables in a single pouch is generally inadvisable, you could do it if it is worn underneath your clothing. But if you really want to be certain that your valuables are safe, keeping them in a hotel safe could be an option.

Rather than bringing a lot of cash, opt for traveler’s checks and credit cards, especially when you plan to travel abroad. We’ve all had our share of experiencing losing a passport by carelessness or by theft. This is surely a stressful experience so it is best to prepare for it. You could bring an extra set of passport photos and a photocopy of your passport’s information page. Keep the photocopies in a separate place from the originals. By doing so, a replacement could be easily made.

Bring only the essential things that you need whether you travel. In other words, travel light. If possible, try to pack everything in a single bag. Not only will this increase mobility, but it will also allow you to monitor your belongings more effectively. A free hand is always needed when countering possible malicious attempts.

Finally, it is best to leave a copy of our schedule with friends and family. This is especially important when our travel abroad takes a number of days. The more we are in contact with our social support system, the more secure we are. We are better able to inform them of possible changes in our trip or any emergency we may encounter.

Remember that being on vacation does not exempt us from practicing the proper security measures. These precautionary steps could be easily done for us to have a pleasant trip.

Are you planning to go on vacation and have fun while travelling? Get tips on travel abroad, overseas travel, get travel advice and travel packing tips at Andrew Mohebbi’s http://www.triphip.com.

Posted on 26 October '09, under Travel.